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Lenten Digital Detox

Lent is a time to prepare our hearts for Easter. During this time we have the opportunity to make a decision about adding something into our life that draws us closer to God or giving up certain types of luxuries. I have been convicted recently about how much I am on my phone. It certainly is a convenience many of us have become accustomed too, but along with the benefits of the digital age I think there are a number of drawbacks.

For Lent I am making the conscious effort to do a form of digital detox. For me this will include only checking and responding to my email three times a day and only checking social media once a day. I am not doing this form of digital detox as some sort of punishment or simply to choose something to give up, but I am choosing not to waste so much time on my phone. With the extra time I plan to incorporate a daily devotional into my routine.

Not only do I think that this will help my spiritual life, but I also think it will help me find time for more important things. These are some more practical steps that I plan to incorporate to help me save time. I plan to unsubscribe to emails I do not care to receive instead of deleting them. I hope to clean out my inbox and respond to emails in a timely manner. Finally, I plan to cut down on my internet browsing.

Some of my goals for this season are to be more present and more productive. My phone is a big distraction from relationships and things I need to get done. Is it really necessary to check your email 20 times a day? Are you really going to be late to seeing your acquaintance’s new Instragram picture? How much time do you think we waste on our phones? Do they control us?

Remember the time when there was not cell phones. Were people more present? more creative? more productive? more focused? less stressed? Follow along in this journey of digital detox with me.

“By creating healthy relationships with our devices, developing new positive social norms and etiquette, and by changing the ways in which we build and design our digital technologies, we will shift the course of human history.”